Thoughts about Giving: You Can Support MSAA While Shopping from Home

Fundraising Profiles by Kaitlyn Gallagher

During these uncertain times, many people have turned to online shopping to meet their family needs. Whether shopping online for everyday items or gifts, please be sure to include MSAA in your plans as well as encourage your friends, relatives, and community contacts to do the same! Proceeds from your online shopping help MSAA continue to provide FREE programs and services.

Opportunities to support MSAA through online shopping are outlined below and can be accessed by visiting support.mymsaa.org/ShopAndSupport.

  • Shop AmazonSmile and select MSAA as your designated charity. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to MSAA.
  • Purchase a PopSocket, the easy-grip accessory for your mobile phone! The Poptivism campaign will donate 50% of your purchase to MSAA. You can order various designs, including MSAA’s logo as well as featured artwork from MSAA’s Art Showcase contributors.
  • Get your swag on with an MSAA Swim for MS swimsuit or towel, along with Team MSAA shirts, hat, bag cinch, and more. Twenty percent of your purchase goes back to MSAA.
  • Glam up for MS! Katie’s Cottage Barn, a jewelry boutique in New Jersey, is selling awareness bracelets and donating 25% of the proceeds to MSAA.

If you have any questions or need more details about these or other opportunities to support MSAA, please call (800) 532-7667, ext. 161. We greatly thank you for your support!


Running Virtually with Victoria

Victoria RaffertyTeam MSAA participant Victoria Rafferty completed her first marathon during the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend in January 2020, a challenge she always dreamed of accomplishing. In addition to completing the marathon, Victoria raised more than $2,000 for MSAA’s free programs and services! This year, Victoria has (virtually) returned to Team MSAA to participate in the Disney Virtual Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend Powered by AfterShokz this November 2020 and has again set a goal of $2,000!

To get in shape for the virtual race weekend, Victoria is committed to keeping with her regular training routine. She works out five days a week and will be focusing on running longer distances and lifting weights as the race weekend approaches.

While Victoria was excited by the prospect of racing in Disney amongst some of her favorite Disney villains, she has decided to make the best of the virtual race weekend by going somewhere outside that is scenic and new to her to complete her race challenge. Her advice to aspiring Team MSAA participants? “Get out there and run, enjoy the nice weather, fall is here – outdoor runs are the best during the fall season.” To read more about Victoria and support her fundraising goal, please visit support.mymsaa.org/goto/vicki.


Gaming for Good with Online Streaming Events

BonkOver the past few months, some incredible gamers have streamed on Twitch, a popular streaming platform, in support of our free programs and services for the MS community!

MSAA Twitch charity streamer, Bonks, was inspired to start fundraising for MSAA after watching charity streams from one of her favorite fellow Twitch streamers. Choosing MSAA as her beneficiary was an obvious choice – several people close to her are living with MS. “Knowing what they’re going through makes me want to do everything in my power to help,” says Bonks. “I believe that as independent content creators, we have to be willing to use our voices to help those in need.”

Bonks explains that it is quite easy to start streaming for your favorite causes! “When you’re doing a charity stream, you have an automatic link that people can donate directly to, to help you reach your goal.” (Bonks reached her goal of $800 for her MSAA charity stream!) “Most streamers doing fundraiser events will have a reward for donating, usually involving themselves doing something,” says Bonks. “For example, I had a reward system where every person who donated $1 or more would get their name written on my arm with a Sharpie. It’s a fun way to give someone a reason to donate.”

To help others understand why supporting the MS community was such an important cause for her, Bonks decided to record a video to explain the effects MS can have on a person and their loved ones. “There aren’t a lot of people talking about MS, so as someone impacted, and someone who has seen first-hand how hard it is, I want people to know what it is, and what they can do to help.”

To learn more, please visit https://tiltify.com/multiple-sclerosis-association-of-america.

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